I love to
Hunt and have done from a very young age. It is one of my greatest passions, to
be out in nature testing my skills and knowledge against the skills and
knowledge of my pray. There is something very rewarding about the experience,
even when you don’t come home “Successful”
I remember
as a little boy following in the footsteps of my father as we hiked the
mountains of Southern Utah. Trying, but not succeeding very well, to step
exactly where he did so we didn’t make noise. Stopping, not soon enough most
the time, when he stopped to listen. I
also remember when we would set at a great vantage point and watch the
surrounding hill for what seemed like hours. I would get impatient and want to
go and hike, and dad would say “patients”. Undoubtedly we would finally see the
deer that someone else that had been hiking pushed to us.
Later in
life I became old enough to become the hunter. I got to pack my own rifle and
choose what I did while hunting. I took many of the lessons I learned early in
my hunting day from my father, and implemented them into my own hunting style. As I grew in both stature and knowledge I
continued to improve my hunting style. I got to the point that I felt very
confident in my knowledge and abilities. I became a “Trophy Hunter”. I spent
many years before and after I got married hunting this way, Big country with
big animals. Eating tags, more tags then I filled, just to try for a chance at
the Big Boys!!! You know the “Trophy Hunter” mentality. I truly enjoyed my days
as a “Trophy Hunter”.
Now many
years later, as a father of 7 (6 of which are boys) I have turned from the “Trophy
Hunter” to the “Trophy Teacher”. It did not happen all at once, it was a slow
process. My first son got old enough to go with me and for a couple years it
was just him and me. Then we added his little brother to our group. Now after
20 years of marriage we are up to 4 sons that go out and tromp the hills
together. I have caught myself saying some of the same things I heard my father
say to me. “You have to hold still”, “Keep the wind in your face”, “Don’t
skyline yourself”, “Patients” and most frequently “Be quiet, stop talking” LOL.
I realize that I have a wealth of Knowledge to share with my boys and I must
share it.
Here are
some things I have learned making the transition from “Trophy Hunter to Trophy
Teacher”.
1- Trophy Hunter I am NOT (Currently). For a few years now (I guess since
my oldest son started to hunt with me as a little boy) I have had to put away
the idea that I am a Trophy Hunter. Yes technically, I am still a trophy
hunter, but with young kids tagging along on the hunt your chances go down
dramatically. I have come to realize
that taking an animal, whether or not it’s the biggest on the mountain, is
always more fun and exciting for my boys, then going home empty handed. You are hunting to teach your kids, and not
for the all elusive Ghost Buck. You have to concede, for a while you may not
kill a giant in your book, but to a young kid, a forky IS a giant.
2- Make sure to have fun. Think of things you can do to make
sure your young ones are having a good time while hunting. We like to play “guess the yardage” while out
bow hunting and things are slow. Range find different objects and see who can
get the closest guess. It is hard for little kids (and even some teenagers) to
hold still. Don’t set to long in one place, they will get bored and wiggly. At
the same time you want to teach them patients (like my father did with me), but
try not to set all day in the tree stand or on a water hole. We like to watch Hunting videos in the off
season. Try to guess the score of the animals and see what you come up with.
Hunting magazines are a great source as well because most the time they give a
score in their article. Cover the score up and see how close they can guess,
you too for that matter. When it is dead in the wood and no activity is going
on, don’t be afraid to take out that bugle or cow call and teach them how to
use it. They love making noise and now Dad is doing it right alongside them. Make
sure to have fun with them and keep them interested in hunting.
3- Don’t get frustrated. This is one of my hardest things to
get over. My boys (Like most typical boys) are very active. They cannot hold
still, or be quiet for that matter. It is important to teach them how to be
quiet and to hold still but you have to hold your frustrations when they forget,
and they do that a lot. Them being quiet and holding still for 10 minutes is
like you going to work for 20 hours a day. It’s KILLER!! LOL Be patient with
them and keep a smile on your face even when you have to remind them 100 times
a day to stop talking.
4- Teach them how to love the Outdoors. There is no guarantee that your kids
will all grow up to be hunters (and love it as much as you). You can still
teach them to love the outdoors and enjoy being out with family and friends. To
respect the beauty of nature and to help keep it that way. We always have a
camp cleanup time as we put camp down. It doesn’t matter if it is 10 miles back
into the wilderness or at an organized campground. We leave it better then we
found it. As we walk trails while hunting we take the time to bend over and
clean up others trash. Teach your kids take care of the outdoors and they will
grow to have a great respect for them.
These are
some of the things I have learned over the years as I have transitioned from
Trophy Hunter to Trophy Teacher. One day I will return to the High Mountain
Peaks and Basins in search of the Trophy animal I so love. When that time comes
I will have my boys by my side as they have grown into their own “Trophy Hunter.”
I understand that currently I am a Trophy Teacher (I teach, and my children are
my Trophies) and this is a very important part of the cycle of a “True Trophy
Hunter”
Here is a copy of this article in the Mule Deer Foundation Magazine.
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